joining me now is democratic senator, jeff merkley of oregon. his filibuster reform proposal is known as the talking filibuster. senator merkley, thank you very much for being here tonight. >> ezra, good to be with you pop. >> so, first, let me get your reaction to the counterproposal by senators mccain and levin. i'm sure you've looked at it by now. what do you think of it? >> absolutely. this proposal is all about not addressing the core problem paralyzing the senate. right now, the filibuster, as you described it, it's silent, it's secret, simply an objection to a simple majority vote. no talking required. therefore, no visibility, no time and energy, no accountability to the american people. on bill after bill that we wanted to pass, if the filibuster had had to be done out in open, before colleagues, before the public, we would have had the momentum to be able to get that legislation passed, because we were in sync with where the country wanted to go. but the group today put forward the proposal that basically is designed to pull the rug ou